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Isaiah 14:3 KJV – How could you love someone like me – Part 2

And it shall come to pass in the day that the Lord shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve

Welcome back. In Part 1 of this devotion, we heard of a man who lived a life outside of the will of God and it pushed him to the point of making a decision to take his own life. But praise the Lord that God had a different plan. We learned that God used a man named Mark to minister to him when this man initially thought he was in control. God led Mark to pray for him that day and two days later, this man found himself in church and then at the altar and finally giving his life to Jesus as his Savior. Glory to God!

Today, we examine how God began His plan of restoration in the man’s life and redeemed everything that the enemy had taken away. Today’s devotion:

Part 2 – How God Restores

Well, this man continued to come to church. He was open to Godly leading from Mark who discipled him over many, many months. How blessed he was to work in the same office as Mark. God really had His hand over all of his life. Eight months would pass and he would encounter his first real test of faith.

He had just returned home from being away on business and he pushed the play button on his answering machine to listen to the messages. The first message was from his brother. The message was to call him as soon as he could. Something had happened to their dad. He quickly dialed up the number of his brother and listened as he was told that dad was in a very bad way. He was told to call his mother for the details.

His mom lived in Florida with his dad. They were retired. He called his mom to find out that his dad had been kidnapped, beaten, left for dead in the woods, and was not doing well at all. Mom asked, “Can you come down and help?” He was stunned. He didn’t know how that could have happened to his dad, but he told his mom he would come down as soon as he could.

Since he had just returned from a 2 week business trip, he didn’t see how he could possibly put enough funds together to get down and see his mom and dad. It would take some time for his expenses to be paid from the previous trip. He went to work and began to think about what he could do. He remembered that though he didn’t have the answer on how he could afford the trip, he knew at least he could pray. So he did. He also took time to post a prayer request on his workplace’s prayer chain.

A few hours went by and he received a phone call from someone on the prayer chain to tell him that he was going to Florida and that he would be able to see his dad. He wondered how could this be. He was told that the Plant Vice President had heard about his dad and what happened. The Plant Vice President had provided the necessary funds to purchase a plane ticket to Florida. And he also arranged for expense money to be given to him. He was overwhelmed. God had answered his prayer. A few days later, he would be in Florida.

He sat in his seat on a flight to Florida waiting for the runway to clear before takeoff. Some fog had rolled in and it was going to be a little while. But he had time. On to Atlanta, then on into Orlando. He had some time. He prayed again. He prayed, “Lord, you’ll have to help me with this. I’m still a new believer. I have no idea what I’m to do or how I need to help mom and dad. How could anyone know what to do if they were in the same place as I am?”

Well about an hour had passed and the flight took off. He arrived safe in Atlanta where he called his mom and told her that in a few hours he would be there. Mom said she would arrange for his pickup at the airport. Well, with the delay at the initial airport, his flight from Atlanta to Orlando had already departed. He would now have to find an alternate flight. He called his mom and assured her he was still on his way. As he waited at the gate of the plane he was told he was on standby on, he heard a young lady talking. She had been waiting for 36 hours to get a flight to Orlando. It was spring break. She, too, was on standby. About 6 more hours passed, when he heard his name called. He went to the desk and was told he had a ticket and it was time for him to board. He thought about the young lady waiting for 36 hours. He thanked God that He had intervened on his behalf. He finally arrived in Orlando and found his mom. Soon he would see his dad.

They got to their home and his dad came to the door. He was shocked to see the man at the door. He couldn’t recognize him as his dad. This man was unclean, unshaven, and had bruises all over his back. The man had broken fingers. He looked awful. But when this man spoke in a timid and quiet voice, he realized it was dad. But Dad was never a timid and quiet guy. He always spoke with conviction and integrity. But now it was different. The man said, “Dad, we’ll do this one day at a time.”

You see, his dad was carjacked at a gas station after stopping for gas after work. His dad still worked though he was “retired”. He liked that. Sometimes, mom did, too.

His dad was told to get down on the floor between the seats in his van. Over the next 3 hours, his dad’s assailants beat him while they drove around. When his dad would put his hand over his back to block the repeated blows, the assailants broke his fingers. Then when they got bored with his dad, they took his dad’s belt and put it around his dad’s neck and began to hang him. They opened the side door of his dad’s van, and dumped his dad in the woods to die. But dad didn’t want to die. He put his hand behind the belt and when they raised him to hang him, he passed out. His assailants thought they were successful in getting rid of the witness. But, God had a different plan. When his dad woke up, he crawled out of the woods on his hands and knees and signaled someone walking their dog for help. His dad told him that this was the hardest point of the ordeal. His dad said, “I didn’t want the people I called out to, to think I was a vagrant. I just wanted help.” The rescue squad came and took his dad to the hospital and then the fire department called his mom.

Well, they took one day at a time. The detective bureau at the Sheriff’s office was a big help. He spoke with them daily. They were tracking down his dad’s van. They had a victim advocate working the case and she was a blessing. Dad had to restore his identity by getting a new drivers’ license, social security card, etc. Everything you have to do when someone takes your wallet and identity from you. Each day, Dad would get up and he would seem to get stronger and stronger. He cleaned himself up and began to be the strength he had always remembered dad to be. Then a few days later while watching the evening news, something startled the man and his family. There being displayed, live on TV, was an arrest being made. You know. Like the “OJ Simpson kind of thing”. Pictures overhead from a news chopper. They were showing three men being pulled from a vehicle and being arrested. Right there, on TV, in front of this family was a picture of his dad’s van. They had found his van and found three men in it that shouldn’t have been in it. God allowed the man and his family to see His justice being served.

The detective’s called and this family had to go to the Sheriff Department’s Forensic Lab to retrieve the van. His mom was really angry and bitter. She said she would never ride in the van again. He said he would take it somewhere to be cleaned up and it would be alright. He told his mom he would pray over it and ask God to bless it. He went away to find an auto detailer.

A few hours later, he returned to his mom and dad’s home only to find the news media all over the place. There was a big satellite tower in the front yard and camera’s everywhere taking pictures. His dad was there doing an interview for the local news station. They had heard of his dad’s story. He heard the news anchor ask his dad, “What were you feeling when this happened?” And on camera, in a live broadcast over entire the Orlando area to thousands of television sets, He heard his dad say, “I knew this is not how I was to die. I prayed, Jesus save me.” He was amazed. He was overwhelmed. The neighbors all came out. It was a sight to see. His mom wanted her turn with the camera to give her point of view, but praise God, He had different plans. You see, his mom always spoke what was on her mind.

The man began to talk to the people from the news channel and found out the reporter was a woman of God herself, and the main camera guy, GREW UP IN THE SAME NEIGHBORHOOD OF THIS MAN!!!

This man went home a few days later. He stayed with his mom and dad for 11 days. They witnessed miracle after miracle. This man never forgot. He prayed, “God if You could make a way for the world to know this story. Not for my glory but for Yours.”

When this man returned to work the following Monday, he went to see the Vice President and Plant Manager to say “Thanks”. And God moved again. In the waiting area just outside of the Plant Manager’s office this man told the story. People began to come out of adjacent conference rooms just to listen. God gave this man his first pulpit.

He started with a simple prayer to help him help his mom and his dad. His dad prayed, “Jesus, save me” and the story continues with God being glorified on a local news channel for a whole city to see and ends in front of this man’s peers for them to hear as well.

Remember how I said in the beginning of this blog, that God would redeem everything the enemy took away from this man. Well, there is more. This man’s children, both his daughter and son, also gave their lives to the Lord, shortly thereafter. And, God blessed the man again when God brought His choice to him to take as his wife.

Well, as you may have already guessed, this is my testimony. I share it for one single purpose and that’s to give glory to God; My Savior, Redeemer, and friend, Jesus.

Tomorrow, we’ll look at how God continued to work in my life as I began to serve Him as He called me. Part 3 examines, “How God enables.”

Heavenly Lord, thank You that You hear our prayers and answer them. Thank You that in our darkest hours You are near. Closer than a whisper. Thank You that we can place our trust in You to be our protector and defender. Help us Lord to always call upon Your name. We love You Lord. In Jesus Name. AMEN.